was sultry now. Alongside us was a Durham boat like ours, but longer. It
was packed worse than our own, men, women, and children huddled as close
as captives on a slaveship, and like ourselves worn out with fatigue and
facing the thunderstorm that we heard coming without covering of any
kind. The quiet determination to endure much in the belief that we were
coming to a country where we would better our condition sustained all in
doing our best to make light of our trials. To a young woman, who was
trying to get a fretful baby to sleep, the mistress sent me with a tin
of milk and we had some talk. I asked if she was not sorry she had left
the Old Land. 'No, no,' she replied, 'we had no prospect there; here,
with hard work we have the prospect of comfort and of depending on
nobody for work or help.' She kissed her babe and speaking to him said,
'Yes, Willie, you will never know in this country what your mother came
through.' It was this hope that sustained us all. There was only a small
house in sight and the near bush was scrub, so we did not ask to go on
shore and had to wait, patiently, for the heat and mosquitoes kept us
awake. The storm did not last long, but wetted all to the skin who could
not creep under the decked parts of the boat. It brought great relief in
freshening the air. The boatmen were astir before daylight, hoisting the
sails, for the wind had turned to the north, as it often does after a
thunderstorm. There were places, where the current ran so fast that
setting-poles had to be used, but we got on well, and, by-and-by,
sighted two towns--Ogdensburg and Prescott, the one bright and tidy, the
other with a weather-beaten uninviting look. We rejoiced to see a small
steamboat at the Prescott wharf. It was waiting for the stage from
Montreal. A bargain was made to take our party to Kingston. On the boat
we had met at the Soo coming in, she had too many emigrants for the
steamer to take on board, but her captain agreed to tow her. The offer
was made to let any of the women change boats, but none accepted. Like
ourselves, they were travelling in families and feared to be parted. We